Goa CM refuses to denotify Colva Covid care centre

COLVA: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday has assured a delegation of Colva panchayat members, led by local MLA Churchill Alemao, that the 50-odd asymptomatic Covid-19 patients currently housed in the Colva residency would be shifted to the South Goa district hospital within a week’s time.
However, the chief minister said that in future if the number of patients surpasses the number of beds at the district hospitals, then patients will be moved to the residency.
Colva sarpanch Anthony Fernandes said that after giving the delegation a hearing, the chief minister agreed with them and assured them that the 50-odd patients who are already housed there would be shifted to the district hospital in Fatorda, after the infrastructure is ready.
Panch member Pio Furtado told TOI, “We were demanding denotification of the order, but the CM refused our suggestion saying that in case of emergency the government should have space to treat the patients.”
Villagers of Colva on June 13 had objected to the government’s decision to notify the residency as a Covid care centre for asymptomatic patients.
The delegation told the chief minister that the surrounding area was highly populated and that, at any given time, the beach, which is in the vicinity, sees hundreds of visitors.
Sawant told the delegation that the government is in the process of setting-up 500 beds at the district hospital and it would take around a week to get it ready and till then to have patience, Fernandes said
Those present at the meeting said that Sawant agreed with the suggestion of the delegation to immediately direct the health services to provide patients with hospital scrubs, which they have to wear throughout the quarantine period, and to increase the number of police personnel at the site so that patients are not tempted to stray on the beach and to nearby restaurants.